THE PGA TOUR is reviewing its pace-of-play policy after an outburst of criticism of Bryson DeChambeau during the Northern Trust tournament.
In an article posted on the tour website, Tyler Dennis, the tour’s chief of operations, said officials were considering expanding the policy to address individuals who take an excessive amount of time to hit a shot, even if their groups remain on schedule.
“We have leveraged our ShotLink technology to provide every player with a pace of play report that they can access which breaks down the varying parts of their game and gives feedback on the amount of time on average that the player takes to hit a particular shot,” Dennis said.
We are currently in the process of reviewing this aspect of pace of play and asking ourselves, ‘Is there a better way to do it?’
The issue was in the spotlight this weekend when video of DeChambeau taking more than two minutes to line up a putt sparked criticism on social media.
“We know that the individual habits of players when they are preparing to hit a shot can quickly become a focal point in today’s world, and our players and fans are very passionate about this issue,” Dennis said.
DeChambeau has defended himself, saying videos that showed him taking more than two minutes to make a chip and a similar eternity lining up an eight-foot putt on Friday were misleading, since his caddie had called him off one shot and on the other he was waiting for a group on a nearby tee to hit.
Was standing on the putting green with Koepka's caddie earlier when an irritated Bryson DeChambeau walked up & told him to tell his boss to make any comment about slow play "to my face". Brooks arrived soon after, got the message & ambled over for a chat with the scientist.
— Eamon Lynch (@eamonlynch) August 11, 2019
And Dennis noted that pace of play was a complex issue, affected by a range of factors that include the number of players on the course, tee time intervals, amount of daylight, course set-up and weather.
“Some of these are things we can influence, and some are not,” Dennis said.
Under the current policy, players are timed only when their group falls out of position. One minute is allowed for the first player to hit a particular shot and 40 is seconds allowed for the others.
When told they are on the clock, players often speed up, making penalties for slow play rare.
Its been going on for decades. Langer, Harrington and numerous others, not one of them has ever been penalised. Lip service to the problem time and again.
A sport if it was a sport would issue a time limit on the completion of the round, 4 hours would be reasonable for a 3 ball, fail to finish in time, all 3 gone, disqualified.
Watch them speed up, watch fellow competitors take a real interest and it could become a sport rather than a game.
@Gerry Ryan deG:
All 3 disqualified !!!!
Are you having a laugh
@Gerry Ryan deG: do you play golf? I can’t even get around in 4 hours in my local club in a 3 ball. and you expect the pro’s to. and if they don’t you’d dq them. lol
@Gerry Ryan deG: the whole field could be disqualified if that was introduced. It’s not like your local club where the etiquette should be to let the faster groups behind play through. On the PGA, 1 slow player can hold up many groups behind them, the rules should be implemented to punish that player. I hope they bring in a rule like 1 or 2 shot penalties for the slow players and actually implement it…Bryson, JB, Jordon and that ilk are just painful at times!!!
@Ardmore02: you need to have a chat with your partners I play in a 4ball every Sunday if we go over 4 hours it’s been a very slow round. 3 and half hours on average for 18 holes
@James O Lone: depends on the course bro. We play at 7.30 on a Sunday and a quick 3 ball is 4 hours, after 9 you would be lucky to get around in 5 hours.
They take far too long per shot, on the intervasity scene a few years ago when I played it was at least 6 hrs a round. Kids are being taught its okay to take all the time they want. By the time its my turn to putt generally I have already seen the putt from both sides, lined the ball. You look at the angle as you approach the ball coming onto the green, then from the opposite side, even easier if you are past the flag and as your partners balls is rolling line your ball up and go
On approach shots you know your distance as you approach, if you play regularly you know the club, the wind and you know what shot to play get up and hit it.
@Ardmore02: My links course times all 4 balls going out with one player a designated time keeper. Usual time allowed is between 4 hours and 4 hours 20 mins. In saying that if you are behind overseas green fees it could take 5 hours or more! But if you’re paying “top dollar green fee” I would probably expect them to enjoy the experience!
It can be infuriating to play with a slow player. I do have a little sympathy for the pros in certain situations, as one shot can have a monetary difference of hundreds of thousands, or even keeping their tour card, and that sort of pressure can take effect, but some players are just to methodical and they can drive others guys who need to have a quick rhythm like Koepka mad.
@Devilsavocado: yeah they could wind up in the poor house if forced to play more quickly.
@Gearoid Stakelum: Flippant statement. Life as a pro is bloody tough when you’re not in the top 250 in the world. Guys traveling tournament to tournament, away from family for long stretches, with big expenses trying to keep their card. Just because we see the success and riches of the top pros doesn’t meant that it’s the same life for journeymen pros on lower tours, relying on sponsors invites and earning very small money. Look at the order of merit and earnings on lower tours
Big problem for golf is kids are watching this and copying what they see themselves. The amount of hackers who take forever to hit their own shots is getting worse, measuring each distance when they couldn’t hit it with control if their life depended on it.